Their Beautiful World
by plumeria-hi
Summary: In which we explore the beautiful world through the eyes of a lover, and shine light into the forgotten corners of China/Japan... One little poem at a time.
1. Preface

**Preface**

**The world two lovers share can be such a beautiful place.**

Whether you're still a spectator or that one significant other, we all have to face it at some point in our lives – love has that magical, _dangerous _power to make the world a place you'll never want to leave again. When placed in the right hands, love can also be molded into a key that unlocks completely _new _worlds: a world with emotions never known to you before, and territory you never could have stumbled upon with an empty hand.

And as a fan fiction writer who has her heat set on the (sadly hypothetical) romance between fictional characters Wang Yao (China) and Honda Kiku (Japan) of the Hetalia fandom, it's a part of my job to prove this to you.

I've been attempting to do just that right here on fan fiction . net for the last two years now, weaving as many stages as I can for their relationship to take place. I've always tried to make the stories as big as I can, just so that I have plenty of room to squeeze in all the beautiful little pieces of their relationship, and leave my readers with another insight to the meaning behind their pairing.

But then the question arises: _then what of the _smaller _pieces of the spectrum?_

I've exposed the bigger pictures, so now, what do I have to say for the smaller things that make up this beautiful world Yao and Kiku share?

_That_, my beloved readers, is the very reason why this compilation of poetry has been conceived.

As a trainee writer, I've always held the belief that poetry can do and say things that novel's can't. Now, don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that either one is better than the other. Comparing poetry and novel-writing in the context of literacy is like comparing a tennis and football player: you can't judge tennis players based on how well they can kick a football, and you can't judge a football player by how well they serve a tennis ball either.

I'm just saying that a poem can do and say so many things where a novel isn't as equally apt. For one, poems can take the most trivial things into the palm of their hands, and train them to blossom into the most spectacular of flowers.

With that in mind, now I hope to do the same with my fandom. I hope to scoop up all the little shards I have scattered in the making of my bigger projects, and sow them into potent things in this new collection. I want to shower light to the forgotten corners of the ChuNi fandom; give meaning to every mote of dust that had been lost in between the chapters, and turn every footprint Yao and Kiku had taken on their journey together into timeless artifacts.

But most of all, I just want to entertain, and learn to entertain.

So what do you say? Want to witness the beauty of the world through a lover's eyes with me, and expose the poetic magnificence behind every little twist and turn in the crimson thread that binds out favourite Asian nations together?

You're better be.

Because I could really use some help gathering all these shards without having to sign up for an eye transplant later on.

_Huzzah!_

-Plumeria hi

* * *

**Some things to keep in mind throughout the journey**:

a) The pairing that will **inevitably **be used in every single poem is China/Japan. Not Japan/China though, because I'm not particularly fond of that pairing too much… Apologies aplenty if I've offended anyone with that last line.

b) However, perhaps some variations of China/Japan may be used as well: I'm thinking 2p, Nyotalia, Nekotalia, Mochitalia, etc. China/Japan, and all the variations in between. Love triangles may even be plausible (**note: **if you're not particularly fond of some of these variations or love triangles, don't fret; I _will _warn you if I'm going to stray from the tangent).

c) Throughout the poem, you will also come across a '•' symbol. This symbol doesn't mean anything but a replacement for the normal double-enter command, so please don't be confused, otay!

d) Expect poetry style to differ. I'm not picky when it comes to what type of poem I'm writing, since I believe that poetry can be _anything_, so long as it has artistically-manipulated literature, and conveys a story or meaning. Sometimes I may not even follow a particular style of poetry at all! … But do tell me if it annoys you. I don't want to get under anyone's skin.

e) As usual, I am free to ANY comments you might have in mind on my poems. Criticism; praise; expectations - _any at all_! So please don't be shy if you have anything you'd like to say in mind; all and any comments, either via review or pm, will be greatly appreciated.

f) I'm also not as experienced yet when it comes to writing poetry, so feel free to give me feedback on how to get bette- oh, you know what? Screw that: _PLEASE DO _give me feedback on how to get better at my writing. It'll mean a lot to this little rookie when you do.


	2. Paper Planes

**Hello-hello-hello again, fellow slap-happy humans!**

**Perhaps, you have just staggered back in surprise, at the realization that I have not been hit by a bus (yet) (or maybe a motorcycle sounds more realistic here; there seems to be just more and more of those pummeling through the streets here in Surabaya - _gah_! Digressing again and again!).**

**Or perhaps, now that you are aware of the fact that I have not yet been hit by a _motorcycle_, you are in the mood to _squish me flat_ with a _roadroller_ instead, because I have not yet published the promised story 'As The Gods Say' (*insert sheepish 'haw-haw' here*)... B-b-but I've already typed it in, honest! A-and I'm proof-reading it as fast as I can!**

**-So for now, my unfortunate, (probably... ?) disappointed readers will just have to make do with a little itsy bit of something I had found during my latest memory dive into the contents of my notebook.**

**For those of you who have checked out my profile, if memory serves well, I do recall once saying that other than writing stories, I am also sufficiently fond of poetry - either reciting it or writing it. **

**In this manner, I've decided to present something a little different than what I usually publish up here on ; just a little freeverse I recycled from a very, _very _old Songfic I'd based off of a certain Vocaloid song (see if you can guess which one as you read this!)**

**With that said, last but not least _and _as per usual, a few points to come across before you get started;**

**(see preface for points)**

_**Aaand**_**... E'yup, that's all! You're all free to go! *fly~***

**... I... Seem to be getting very bad at ending my author notes, for some reason.**

* * *

_**Paper planes**_

_In which the delicate thread which binds together two partners, in a cruel, dark world, is put to the ultimate test._

Everyday

When father leaves for work

I put on a shawl

And sneak out of the hospital.

•

I stalk the streets,

careful

so as not to be seen.

Jump over the dusty creek

To where the cherry trees don't grow.

•

Run towards the direction of the setting Sun.

•

To where a barbed iron fence stood

Forlornly

In the dry, dead Earth.

•

I carefully take out

A paper plane.

•

On it

Neatly written characters of

Ink.

•

And I toss it gently into the air

Where it defies the fence

And lands into

a pair of dirt-ridden hands

Accepting the letter eagerly.

•

A new

Paper plane

Would appear over the fence

And plummet into

my outstretched hands.

•

On it

Neatly written characters of

Charcoal.

•

We smile at each other.

That was all I needed.

That was all

He

Needed.

•

In this cruel world

Of illness and pain

His love for me was all

I

Needed.

•

It was a forbidden love, but I didn't care.

* * *

Everyday.

When the soldiers aren't looking.

I abandon my prison duties

And duck underneath the overgrown hedges.

•

Run towards the direction of the rising Sun.

•

To where a barbed iron fence stood

Keeping me away

From the outside world,

Where the cherry trees grew.

•

To where

He

Is waiting anxiously for me.

•

He takes out a carefully-folded

Paper plane

And throws it over

The fence

To my outstretched hands.

•

I throw him

Mine

And we open ours.

•

We would smile at each other.

That was all I needed.

That was all

He

Needed.

•

In this dark world

Of war and captivity

His love for me was all

I

Needed.

•

It was a painful love, but I didn't give a damn.

* * *

"Hey, there's something wrong with Kiku!"

"Someone help him!"

"_I _don't want to touch him!"

"_Gross_!"

•

I laid on the ground,

Immobilized in a seizure,

Blood and fluids spurting out of my mouth,

Mixing with the tears,

As I tried desperately to stop myself.

•

Suddenly,

I felt arms

Propping me up,

Wiping the disgusting mixture dribbling down my chin

Without a care in the world.

•

All whom I considered 'friends' jeered.

•

Not at me

But at

Him.

•

"Oh, look who's here."

"It's _Shina_ boy-aru!"

•

"Well, at least _I'm _doing something about this! If you're all just going to stand there and gape at Kiku, you're better off somewhere else!"

•

That did it.

They all fled the scene,

Never looking back.

•

He held me

Tighter,

Rocking my body back and forth

Like a child.

•

"There, there Kiku. You're safe with me now. See? I'm here now."

•

It was the most soothing voice

In the

Whole wide world.

It made the seizure,

The blood,

The tears,

All stop.

•

"Yao?"

"Yes, Kiku?"

"Th-thank you… Yao."

* * *

"Hello everyone! I'm Wang Yao!"

•

Immediately

The whole class burst into laughter.

•

I felt my spirits crumbling.

•

"Shina!"

"Shina!"

"'_I'm Wang Yao-aru_!' Ha-ha!"

"Look at that ponytail!"

"Only girls grow their hair out like that - "

•

"_Please stop that_."

•

All eyes fell onto

A quiet

Frail-looking boy

At the back of the classroom.

•

"… What, Kiku?"

•

"Please stop that. Stop teasing Yao."

"Why are you standing up for Shina?"

"His name is not Shina, it's Yao."

•

Despite the whole class

Staring

At him,

Kiku stood up and

Offered

An outstretched hand to

Me.

•

"Come on Yao. Let's go play together."

* * *

Five years ago,

I'd been diagnosed

With hemolytic-uremic syndrome.

•

If

Yao

Hadn't been there to soothe me,

I would have died.

* * *

One minute

I had been painting flowers with Kiku.

•

The next

I was locked up in a place,

Where the soldiers

Beat me up

And

Called me rude names.

•

If

Kiku

Had never peered through that iron fence

And called out my name,

I would have died

Of loneliness.

* * *

After Yao disappeared, my seizures became more frequent.

•

I had to leave

School

And was locked up in a hospital

Where doctors

Stabbed me

With pipes and needles.

•

At first I had thought

That father had locked me up

On purpose

Because I had found out where he'd sent Yao.

•

I was determined to see Yao out ever since then.

•

Even when that ward

Became my new home, I

Never

Left him alone.

•

But it wasn't

Until I had one unfortunate seizure,

And became paralyzed

For _hours_,

That I found out the

True reason

Why I was in that hospital.

•

And father found out the

True reason

Why I fold my paper planes.

* * *

Kiku didn't show to receive my paper planes one day.

•

He had some sort of illness,

A syndrome

If I remember well.

•

I had tried scrambling up

The fence

To find him.

•

I still have the gashes on my body.

•

All that's left to do

Is sit behind

That fence,

The

Paper planes

In my pocket,

Doubling by the day,

In vain hope that Kiku will turn up somehow.

•

It has been five days.

* * *

It has been five days and I already have exactly three tubes and a needle.

•

It is

Excruciatingly painful,

That I shan't lie about.

•

But what was

More painful

Than the tubes and needles

Was the fact that I hadn't seen

Yao

For five days.

•

But the

Paper planes

Will surely not fly themselves.

•

With a wince,

I yanked the needles

And untangled the pipes.

•

And off I go.

* * *

I glimpsed a familiar silhouette

Come towards the fence.

•

"Kiku! Kiku... !

"…What happened to you?"

* * *

His voice trailed away as he saw

My bloodshot eyes,

The gashes on my body

From the pipes and needles.

•

He had gashes all over him as well.

•

"Yao… Read this, please."

•

I passed

A paper plane

To him.

•

It broke my heart

To see him read with

Eyes

Wide in terror.

•

But I had to tell him soon.

* * *

"_Dear Yao_

_I'm sorry I couldn't see you so soon._

_This might be my last paper plane. I pray not, but I can't stop this uncanny feelings of fear that it might be._

_I don't have much time left _- "

•

I couldn't bear to read the rest.

* * *

He looked up at

Me

Sorrow in his eyes.

•

Why was I the only one smiling?

* * *

How could he smile at a time like this!

•

I didn't bother

To hold the tears back.

* * *

Before the

Tears

Could fall,

I turned my back on him.

•

Maybe that,

Or I couldn't bear it

Seeing him this way.

* * *

"Kiku! _No_, don't go!"

•

I screamed after him,

The tears

Cascading down my cheeks,

Leaving a clear path in the grime.

•

"Kiku, no, wait! Y-you're my partner for life, remember? Kiku!

"I-I love you! _Please_!

"I'll wait for you, alright? I'll wait for you, right here, every single day, until you come back.

"… _I love you_."

* * *

"Goodbye Yao."

•

My feet were burning

But

I didn't care.

•

I ran away

Leaving behind me

My love

And my last paper plane.

* * *

It was like

A knife through my chest.

•

Did he know I kept every single one?

* * *

"_Sir! Sir! He's failing_!"

"Get his father quick!"

•

It's getting harder to breathe.

It was like

An invisible force,

Squeezing my lungs.

•

… No! It can't be!

… _Can't be_…

_Pant_.

•

"How could this have happened!"

•

No…

_Pant_.

_No…_

_Pant_.

_No!_

_No! No! No! No! No! NO!_

_ •_

How will he smile now!

•

I-I just…

_Pant._

I just n-n-need more time…

_Pant._

_Wheeze._

_Pant._

•

Yao…

Where are you?

* * *

I stared at the

Paper plane

In my hands.

•

The tears kept

Surging.

It fell everywhere:

On the ground,

On my clothes.

•

On the paper plane.

•

"That's him! Bring him to me!"

•

I swiveled around,

And screamed.

•

But to no avail.

•

Two soldiers seized me by the arms

And forced me

To face their

Leader.

•

An evil man,

Scowling at me devilishly.

•

He snatched the

Paper plane

Out of my hands.

•

"Hey! Give that back! It's not yours to take!"

•

I know he won't,

But I had to at least try.

•

The demon sighed.

•

"Oh Kiku… You are too innocent for the world…"

•

"K-Kiku? You know Ki-"

•

"_I'm his father, you little bastard_!"

•

My eyes widened in terror.

•

Kiku…

_Is the son of this demon?_

•

"P-please… Let me see him again, sir… _Please_ – I-"

•

"You think you can!_ You think you CAN_!"

The demon screamed at me,

"he's dying! My son is _dying_, and it's all your fault!

"_Yours_!"

•

At this point

We were both

Crying;

Sobbing hysterically.

•

But then

The unthinkable happened.

•

He held

The paper plane

Just inches from my face…

•

_And tore it to shreds_.

•

And I didn't even get the chance to finish reading it!

•

"_No_! How could you!"

•

I didn't care if he was Kiku's father.

•

I thrashed with all my might

And hit him

Right at the face.

•

"How dare you, Chinese bastard!"

•

But he hit me harder.

•

And soon, all three men were hitting me

Harder than I would have ever

Hit them.

•

Then it stopped just as soon as it had started.

•

And I was left

To die,

Splayed in a pool of my own essence,

Sprays of my blood and shreds of paper,

And beautiful characters

In ink

Scattered about me like fallen angels.

•

As if to mock me,

A shred lay just inches

From my broken neck.

•

And written on it,

In Kiku's elegant penmanship,

•

Was a message which sent me to tears all over again.

•

_I love you Yao. Remember it always._

* * *

Who will soothe me

When my body trembles and quakes?

* * *

Who will stand up for me

When the rest of the world spits at my name?

* * *

There is no more

Light

For these flowers

To go on.

* * *

I just need

One more

Paper crane.

One more would be enough.

* * *

If I die,

I want

Him

To continue living for me.

* * *

If I don't make it,

I want

Him

To keep smiling for me.

* * *

But how will we smile at each other now… ?

•

_Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep-_

* * *

•

•

•

Since that day

We've always been together.

The deep darkness engulfed us both.

•

But it never took away our happiness.

* * *

Since that day

We've always been together.

The deep darkness engulfed us both.

•

But I've never forgotten that smiling face.

* * *

Until tomorrow,

At the other side of the fence.

* * *

Until tomorrow,

Where cherry trees grow,

And lovers can be together.

* * *

Where love was once paper planes.

* * *

**Yay, poetry~ !**

**So, the story behind this was: back when I was in the middle of writing 'Your Sun, My Stars', I was listening to a heart-warming Vocaloid song called 'Paper Plane', sung by the awe-inspiring Kagamine twins, and since the song touched me so much, I decided to take a break from my bigger project and write my very first (pathetically soppy) songfic! It was initially just a one-shot I'd abandoned somewhere at the back of my notebook.**

**But while I was writing the new, secret fan fiction, I managed to stumble across it once more... And I immediately remembered why I didn't even _think _about publishing the thing in the first place! That one-shot not only contained too much flamboyancy and figurative speech to be taken seriously, but it was also much too rushed. Administering these details immediately, I was stuck with having to make the choice of either putting up a tacky old one-shot up here on fanfiction . net, or trashing what could have been a pretty darn good plot for some cheesy romance fanfic.**

**So finally, I made the decision to just...**

**Recycle *grin*.**

**But - anyways! Since this is the first time I've actually tried posting some poetry, in contrary to the usual one-shot's and mushy saga's, I would really like to know what you, as my valued readers, think! Were there things I should keep up? And are there aspects of the poem that I need to work on and improve for the next time? I don't write poetry as often as I write stories, so some feedback would really be appreciated.**

**Oh - and as a last statement: once again... I'M PROOFREADING AS FAST AS I CAN!  
**

**Have mercy on me... !  
-Plumeria hi**


	3. Cute

**For starters, this is just a small questions, buuut... Are you here to look for a freeverse poem that was previously entitled 'Paper Planes?'**

**Well, let me just say that you have come to the _RIGHT PLACE_!... It may not look like it at this point, but rest assured that it IS the right place (and when have I ever lied to you?... I hope I've never lied to you.)If you'd like to know more about that, you may read the preface that I'll have up in a while.**

**Anyways, this is a poem called 'Cute', which I wrote from Kiku's perspective. Contrary to the last one, I tried to experiment with rhymes in this one. I just hope it turned out alright, since I haven't written anything with rhymes since last year (which may or may not have involved something about valentines day...) but then again, that's for you to decide *grin*.**

* * *

_**Cute**_

_In which Japan fails to notice something._

You say that I am 'cute'

And things along that line,

You tell me every single day

Through rain or sleet or shine.

•

But do pray tell, my dearest Yao

Is that the only sound,

That paints the portrait of my face

In your mind to be found?

•

I draped myself in robes

Of finest scarlet hue,

On lunar new year evening

With thoughts of seeing you.

•

I wanted to look pretty

Enough to catch your stare,

And tell me with your sultry voice

My beauty and my flair.

•

I came off rather flashy, but I never despaired…

•

Until you said that 'c' word as I skimmed the flight of stairs.

•

"How CUTE you are my Kiku!"

You cried out with a smile,

Not knowing of the pain that I was feeling all the while,

"you dressed in red tonight?

My favourite, don't you know!

(My dearest Yao, I knew by heart

But never let it show)

That 'dress' of yours looks splendid,

And fits you oh so snug,

You're so cute that I want you to be smothered in my HUG!"

•

I left you to your hug alone,

And quietly limped away,

With vows that I would get it out of you one day someday!

•

Now let's flip to the next page of this nation's great dismay.

•

I walked through bleary halls, in

a uniform of white,

Pristinely-pressed as possible

If just to snare your sight.

•

I wanted to look sweet, in

A colour that's so pure,

A contrast to the black that I had soiled in demure.

To show you that I have the things

You think cannot be found,

And also to say sorry,

For all the things I'd done.

•

With hopes that you still love this little land of rising Sun's…

•

But when you said that 'c' word all I wanted was to _run_.

•

"Hello", you said to me,

When we met in that hall.

I'd felt surprised you bothered to say anything at all.

"The wars are over Kiku,

now let us be at peace.

So please don't run from me no more

And let us be at ease.

•

"I see you've changed your uniform

and I just have to say:

this new one suits you better

and it's CUTER by the way!"

•

Your words had left me dull for the remainder of the day.

•

And now my dearest Yao,

I ask do you recall,

That one United Nations Day

When Alfred held a ball?

•

I lingered at the back, in

A finely-tailored suit,

Rejecting all the others

And awaiting your pursuit.

•

I know I'm too petite

But I wanted to look smart,

So that you could behold me

Like a priceless work of art.

And ask if you could stay,

And never leave my sight,

To spend the time together for the rest of a good night.

•

And as you came a-bounding for a moment I felt right…

•

Until you said that 'c' word, which gave me such a fright.

•

"Oh bless my stars, my Kiku!"

You chuckled as you say,

"are you the Kiku that I saw

Just early yesterday?

That suit just looks so different,

And too grown-up to boot,

But most of all, I just can't stress

That you look really CUTE!"…

•

And something in me snapped,

I screamed, "enough, ENOUGH!"

My cheeks flared red

And with a hand

I pushed you back too rough.

•

I stormed away from you that day

As tears burst from my eye.

•

_But what pained me the most was that you may never know why._

_ •_

But know of this, my dearest Yao

I'll always love you still,

Along with seasons changing

And for years to come I will.

•

I've wanted to be more,

Than just another face,

That you can say "how cute!" before

You run away with haste.

•

To be more than a plushy,

A 'brother' or a friend,

To be forever yours, and

For you to be my man.

•

You say that I am 'cute',

And for now that is fine,

But do pray tell, my dearest Yao

When will you call me 'mine'?

* * *

**After reading that, what do you think Japan failed to notice in the end? Think about the things Yao says to him, and the last line of the poem, and tell me if you think you've figured it out!**

**... If you want to, that is. Don't worry, I'll still love you even if you don't.**

**-Plumeria hi**


	4. Dragon Boats

**I'm miserable, I'm stressed-out, I've overworked, _and I'm back with another poem! _HUZZAH!**

**Frankly speaking, I had absolutely no idea how the inspiration for this one came about. I think it can be somehow, _partially _attributed to the fact that my head's been throbbing so much over the last couple of days that I just had to vent it all on a piece about drums, while the other side of the story involves a thought about what Yao would be like on a dragon boat... I was greatly disappointed in myself for a few minutes after that, because the second the notion popped up in my head, I had a spontaneous vision of Yao toppling over a boat after being elbowed by a party-hardy Yong Soo (and Kiku getting all flustered and jumping in after him, only to have Jia Long go after them both in a scuba-diving suit! Yay, scuba-diving suits!). _Not_ the best way to participate in a dragon boat race, I'll give 'ya that.**

* * *

**_Dragon Boats_**

_In which there is a lesson learned that sometimes, the path to glory is one that is walked in circles._

I've always loathed those

Dragon boats

You loved so much.

•

What do you see in them?

All I see is

Wood

To decay with age;

Painted smiles

To last for but a while;

A waste of your space,

And a waste of my time.

•

They're all the same to me.

•

But to _you_?

•

These worthless things

They whisper to you

Words

In a silent language

I can never hope to understand.

And their

Painted smiles

Shone

In a brilliance I am blind to.

•

Maybe that's why I loathe them so.

•

You understand things I

Don't

And never will

For those painted smiles are dull to me.

•

You loved them.

•

To the point where you'd

Beg

At my feet, for me

To watch them, and

You

In them,

Every single year.

•

And I'm too soft to say anything

But yes

Every single time.

•

Even when I

Knew

You'd never win.

•

Every single time.

•

The Occident:

They leave you.

The Orient:

They jeer you.

And I

Will always be there to watch you.

•

Drown,

In the middle of the river

In your blasted dragon boats.

•

Every.

_ •_

Single.

•

TIME.

•

And why not?

These boats

Can only bear the weight of

Things

So ancient; so accursed

With the dust of time,

Like you and I.

•

"Leave it to the youth, Yao",

I'd say

Every single time

You'd come crying back to me,

Like the

Child

That you are

And always will be.

•

Forever a child,

With sunken dreams

Of sunken boats

And a wife, too

Soft

To say anything for so long.

•

"We are old,

And these

Boats

Crave for the blood of the

Youth.

Let our sons take them

To brandish

Like the warriors of our past;

Let our daughter take one

To garnish

With things we cannot now.

•

"For the game of the

Dragon boats,

Is one that welcomes us no more."…

_ •_

_And what happened next?_

_ •_

Orient against Occident,

Father against sons,

_And husband against wife_.

•

You turned a deaf ear

To all I said.

You flipped all I implored of you,

To navigate

Those boats you loved so.

Rapids rushed slower

And your

Dragons

They were faster,

The beating of drums

And the beating of your heart

Synchronized

In a way we can never be.

•

They inscribed your

Very name

Into every flagstone you felled...

•

_And God forbid._

•

Today sees the day,

You finally cross the finish line.

•

And now I can't

Help

But wonder,

Which voice will whisper which

Words

Into that thick head of yours

when you realize.

•

That I am the trophy

You've been fighting for all along.

* * *

**"_Plumeria hi is a self-proclaimed hopeful writer-in-training renown for uploading the strangest, most bizarre things on her account in fan-fiction . net. Having jumped into the colourful world of poetry as an eighth-grader, when we asked her what true meaning she had in mind behind her works, she simply shrugged and said, "meh - that's for you to decide on your own, I guess." Really, we suspect that even she has no idea herself_."**

_**Ah**_**... I can picture it already.**

**The lattermost statement made in the first passage may or may not be true.**

**- Plumeria hi**


	5. Pearls

**_In the hands of those who were wronged,_  
**

**_Freedom_**

**_Is a gift from the Heavens itself._**

**_But in the hands of those who are free,_**

**_Freedom_**

**_Without Heaven's light_**

**_Is in the hands of the wrong._**

**_•_**

**Which basically translates to the fact that I've just _got_ to stop writing so many freeverse poems! I've only done one with rhymes so far, and the rest is just boring, _boring_ freeverse. I'm thinking about exploring more poetic styles in the future; I've had one style in mind for the longest of times, but I can't seem to remember it's name. I've once tried writing one about flies and death to give me a clue, but I couldn't find it anymore. Not to be paranoid and overbearing, but I have the teensy suspicion that the entity of fate must have eaten it.**

**In the meantime, anyone have any suggestions for other poetic styles I can study?**

* * *

**_Pearls_**

_In which Yao strays from his preliminary tangent_

There is nothing else to need.

•

Since

You had it all

From the start anyways.

Everything I could ever

Needed

And wanted

Finely encrusted into just

One

Significant someone.

•

Who is you,

My dear Kiku.

My world and

Everything in it

Just a strait of ocean away from

My needy arms.

•

And thus

I now hate myself

To the ninth layer of heaven and

Back.

For my needy arms are still

Devoid

Of a gift for our anniversary.

•

Just a mockery of a

Month

Away.

•

The morning is pleasant,

The maples

A brilliant red

In the thoughtful autumn sky.

•

You are at the porch,

Admiring the

Children at play,

When I smuggled myself beside you.

•

And ask

Without regarding your

Tender features.

•

"Kiku, my dear.

Our anniversary is just a

Fleeting month away."

•

Your wind chimes

Giggled overhead, to

Merge

With your soft laugh.

•

"To think that I would ever forget

Such an important occasion.

You know I won't, and

Therefore,

What I know

Is that you opt to inquire",

You read me

As deftly as ever.

•

Yong Soo's bellow

Stray us for a mere second,

Before I ramble on.

•

"You know?"

•

"My dearest Yao,

Once I was your pupil,

Your friend,

Your lover,

And now, your wife.

You are a map to me now.

•

"So what

Of this question of yours?"

•

I pause for a moment,

Contemplating, as

The frigid autumn breeze

Sliced

Into my thin shirt.

Yi Ling is bawling,

But it's white noise to me.

•

"The question,

Is what you'd like for our anniversary."

•

You start,

Before a gentle fog

Descends over the chocolate of your

Beautiful eyes.

•

"Let me see…"

You beam,

Knowing

That I was hanging onto every word

You said,

"I would like…

•

"Something strong.

Something

That dazzles with light

But with a lambent luminescence

That does not blind.

Something smooth

To the touch,

Well-rounded,

And rare.

•

"But most importantly,

I'd like

Very much, for this

'Something'

To come from the Sea,

My home."

•

Baby Jia Long's sobs

Relinquish our idle chatter,

For that morning.

•

But that night,

As I lay

Sleepless

Under our covers,

The bud of an idea

Spurs

Where my arms were once empty.

* * *

_Pearls_.

•

Soft and lambent.

Sultry as silk.

Round and rare.

And of your home

The Sea.

•

The mother of pearl

Fits the riddles of your story

Like a flower to a bee.

•

And so, I

Resolved

The very next morning

That one shall be yours,

The day of our anniversary.

•

I stalled no seconds more.

•

With your fine complexion

Lingering

At the back of my mind,

I hopped the next junk,

In an expedition of the World,

To find the

Best

Mother of pearl

To instill upon your dainty fingers.

•

For days and nights,

I road the crests of the Ocean,

And sifted through strange,

Foreign soil,

If just to find a pearl

Worthy

Of meeting your beautiful eyes.

•

Strange, foreign peddlers

Flocked to the harbours

Of their mystifying land

Like moths to a candle,

As they see

The magnificent Middle Kingdom

And his titan of a junk

Cruising the

Waters

Towards their shores.

•

Brilliant amethysts.

Livid diamonds.

Ornaments of finest jade.

And gold.

Hundreds and thousands of gold,

That would cram even the imperial treasury chambers.

•

All these riches

Were deliberately shoved

Under my nose, by

These ignorant peddlers.

•

"Come, sir,

and feast your eyes on these fine jewels!

Amethysts, red and

Brilliant,

Do you see!"

"No, these

Diamonds

Are much better! Come,

Good sir,

And behold their chiseled edges – "

"Not so!

But these ornaments of

Finest jade,

Crafted by talent, to have acquired

Such an exotic shape."

"Or gold, sir!

Do, I implore of you, have some!

We have many, so feel

Free

To purchase as much as you can!"

•

"No, _no_, _NO_!"

I'd cry,

"Do you all not understand?

These amethysts are

Far too bright

That they will blind my beloved's eyes!

These diamonds

With their chiseled edges

Will slice his delicate fingers.

These ornaments are

But

Silly shapes,

With no purpose at all.

•

"_And all this gold_!

It will not do

To present something so

Common

To the man I hold before all else

•

"And nothing in your

Hands

Are gifts from the Sea itself!"

•

"All that will do, is a

Mother of pearl,

The softest, rarest of all gems,

For a specimen as fine

As my dear Kiku",

I wail,

Flocking back to the junk,

With a pair of

Empty arms,

And a sullen,

Aching heart,

"treasure which you men

cannot grant me today."

* * *

The Ocean is calm,

An entity of tranquility,

In the crisp autumn morning of our anniversary.

•

And yet a

Roaring tempest

Wracked the chasms of my head,

As the junk made its silent retreat

Home

To the crestfallen Middle Kingdom.

•

And the deeper parts of me,

Unperturbed

By this haunting tempest.

•

_Felt bitterly empty._

•

As the junk drew into the harbour;

As I skulked off the vessel,

Feeling empty, empty,

_Empty_.

•

As a blur of

Raven fringe

And thick autumn kimono

Tackled me to the hard floor of the promenade.

•

_My dear Kiku_!

•

Tears welled your eyes

As your

Dainty fingers

Flew around my neck.

•

And nearby,

Cheeky Yong Soo and Yi Ling,

Tittered behind coat-sleeves.

•

"I didn't know

Mommy knew how to cry too",

Baby Jia Long's

Eyes

Are wide with awe.

•

"Yao, where did you go!"

You sob,

"What were you doing!

Why say nothing of it to me!"

•

"Because", I sigh,

sitting up,

And evading your eyes,

For my empty arms brought me endless shame,

"I was out

looking or a present, for you

On our anniversary.

Something sultry as silk.

Round and rare.

From your home,

The sea.

But there were no pearls."

•

You squint at me,

As if you've never spoken Chinese before.

"Pearls?

But Yao,

Who said anything

About pearls?'

•

"It was everything you wanted.

It was perfec – !"

•

_SLAP! _

_ •_

Words we've warned her

Never to repeat

Erupts

From Yi Ling's mouth.

•

"Fool!"

You snapped,

"sweet, stupid, _stupid _fool!

For what would I

Ever need

Pearls,

If I already have…

•

"_You_?"

•

You release me, to

Kneel

By my side,

The ghost of a coy smile

On your sweet lips.

•

I cross my legs,

Too dazed,

Too confused,

To say anything but;

•

"I don't think I quite understand."

ª

"Then you are more of a fool

Then I'd deemed you to be",

You tut,

"Just look at yourself.

You've travelled worlds over,

Made me

And the children

Worried sick,

If just to pursue an answer to my riddle

That is incorrect in all the senses.

•

"You are a fool

Yao

To see not of your strength,

Nor the dazzling

Brilliance

That spurred my nation

As nothing but your pupil.

•

"A fool

To never feel

Your tender person,

Carved smooth and

Well-rounded

Bu that heart which swells with pride.

A rare combination

To come by.

•

"But most importantly,

You are a

Fool

To have forgotten…"

•

"That I am just a

Strait of ocean away from

Your islands",

I gasp.

•

"_And_",

You help me up,

"that you

are my home now.

A gem in the Sea,

To the

Isolated, regressive eyes

Of one truly stuck in the Sea.

•

"There is nothing else to need

But your arms

Around me

On our anniversary day",

You beam,

Eyes catching the

Brilliance

Of the autumn leaves

That lie scattered at our toes

As we crossed back to the children.

•

"But now,

I will need to punish

You

For slipping away

And saying nothing of it to me."

•

And _I_,

My dear Kiku,

Will need an excuse

To start cramming the imperial treasury chamber

With all this

Gold

I brought home from the expedition.

* * *

** _The summary for this poem implies two meanings. One was an aspect I had bore in mind all along. The other came to this poem as a surprise conclusion. I like one meaning more than the other._**

_**Find out which one I had in mind, and which one I liked best, if my favourite colour is chartreuse.**_

**... And _that_, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason why my mathematics teachers makes the questions, and not me. On a completely irrelevant note****, I do like maths. Very, very much.**

**-Plumeria-hi**

**P.S. Don't bother trying to find the answer to my random mumbo-jumbo, it's not related to the colour chartreuse in any way, ha-hah!... _Heh_.**


	6. Permanent Traces

**Salutations, brothers far and wide, sisters near and here; as I have promised in the last update, I'm present today with all sorts of new things!**

**After thinking about it the other week, I've spent the length of this one talking to a couple of people and skimming through a couple of sources, and today I've decided to go along with two new styles! The first is a little something called '****_acoustic poetry_****'. It's supposed to be this poetry format where all the phrases are arranged in an objective stance, so that you get a mystery word or phrase spelled out when you read the first letter from each phrase vertically, from first to last. **

**The second poetry style will be known some time today or tomorrow once I've finished typing it up from my notebook.**

**In the meantime... CHUNI! *fanfare***

* * *

**Permanent Traces**

_In which a scathing lover, too, never forgets_.

I've tried too many times.

•

Camouflaged feelings pose no concern towards the

Animosities of our near past, and as

Night draws near, I am in a trance;

Tumbling to dreams of you.

•

Fragrant flowers must scatter,

Oceans are constantly a-move, and yet,

Run I cannot, from your face

Glistening in my mind's eye;

Everything we've shared is permanent,

Traced deeply into the chambers of my being.

•

Yao. Pray tell, why,

Of all the world, must it be you, who is

Unforgettable to my wistful heart?

* * *

**Indeed, Kiku. It is impossible to forget a potentially-alzheimers-inflicted-4000-year-old-lover with a bad habit of leaving his slippers lying around the house. In the case of my mother, the latter case is even more of an excuse to _never_ forget you; your face becomes permanently engraved into her list of people to yell at when a flowerpot is shifted an inch to the left of the staircase.**

**Of course, it's not like _I__'ve _ever landed myself in such a list.**

**..._ I hope_._  
_**

**-Plumeria hi, who has a guilty pleasure of shifting flowerpots so that fake flower-heads can get a taste of sunshine too**


	7. Seasonal Buds

**Seasonal Buds**

_In which the buds of love remains in bloom the year round._

The snow falls, and yet

The peonies in my garden

Insists it is spring.

* * *

The seasons have changed,

But my chrysanth refuses

To blossom for me.

* * *

The seasons, they spin

But the buds of love remain

In bloom the year round.

* * *

_**Seeee? **_**Now when have I ever lied to you? *grin***

***Ahem* - back to the subject! The second form of poetry I attempted this week was a 'haiku', from good ol' Nihon himself! It's a three-liner, with five syllables in the first and last line, as well as seven syllables in the middle line. Sure - the haiku calls for more frequent updates, if you consider that a boon on its own, but what actually got me ****_really _****intrigued at the start was the fact that traditionally, the haiku was supposed to be used to evoke natural themes, more commonly the seasons. In fact, the best wielders of this form of poetry could even evoke full scenarios in just these seventeen syllables!(I do recall ever reading about one monk who was exceptionally apt in such arts; unfortunately, his name has slipped my mind) As I discovered that, I can't help but think about just how much this style suits Kiku, who's been rambling on and on about 'the four seasons' in pretty much most of the soundtracks I've heard from him. **

**Ah, yes; the four seasons is an exceptionally heartwarming topic indeed. Here in Indonesia, we only have two seasons, and I like that too... Except for the fact that the schedule is all chaotic now, and I can't really hope to anticipate the rainy season on my birthday anymore. Y'know - climate change and that ish.**

**- Plumeria hi**


	8. Yao

**Yao**

_In which nobody understands Kiku_.

One morning,

Mother wasn't there

To greet us in the kitchen.

•

He'd fallen ill,

I soon learned,

When I peered into my parents' room

And see him lying in bed.

Pallid.

Shivering.

•

That noon,

When I came to bring him lunch,

He sat up, painfully,

And beckoned me closer.

•

"My dear child",

he croaked,

"May you be so kind as to fetch Yao for me?"

•

I stopped in my tracks,

Unsure of what to say

To my sickness-stricken mother.

•

"Father is away, mother",

I murmured.

"He went to the capital this morning,

do you not remember?"

•

Mother only smiled,

And told me.

"You do not understand, child."

•

"Then I will bring my sister,

who has spoken Chinese

For far longer than I have,

And may understand you",

I requested.

•

Mother nodded his head.

•

A few minutes later,

I return

With my sister tailing behind me:

My sister,

With her bubbly chestnut locks

And her firecracker smile.

•

Again,

My mother croaked:

"My dearest daughter.

You have spoken Chinese

For far longer than us.

•

"May you be so kind as to fetch Yao for me?"

•

Sister's firecracker smile

Dissolved beneath her chestnut locks.

•

"Father is away, mother",

She chirped.

"He took a junk to Beijing,

And will not be back until the eve.

He spoke of this to you,

Do you not remember?"

•

Mother frowned,

And told her.

"You do not understand, child."

•

"Then we shall return with our eldest brother,

Who is a scatterbrain,

But not unintelligent,

And may understand you",

She requested.

•

Mother nodded his head,

And sank back into bed.

•

An hour later,

We managed to find our brother

Hovering in the bustling marketplace downtown,

And haul him before my mother:

My brother,

With his funny bed-hair

And his foolhardy face.

•

For a third time,

Mother croaked:

"My dearest son.

You are a funny thing,

But you are also clever.

•

"May you be so kind as to fetch Yao for me?"

•

My brother's funny bed-hair

Mirrors the baffled look

On his foolhardy face.

•

"Father is away, mother",

He crowed.

"He took a junk to Beijing

To tend to political business.

Your fever must be making you delusional, for

Do you not remember?"

•

Mother sighed,

And with a shake of his head,

Told him.

"You do not understand, child."

•

"Then I shall call upon uncle,

who is more intelligent than I,

And may understand your delusional puzzles!"

He requested.

•

"Very well then",

Mother exhaled.

•

Two hours later,

Uncle arrived by junk,

And had joined us in my parents' quarters:

My uncle,

With his intelligent gaze,

And rimmed glasses.

•

For a fourth time,

Mother croaked:

"Brother-in-law,

You are brilliant,

So you are sure to understand me this time.

•

"May you be so kind as to fetch Yao for me?"

•

Uncle's intelligent gaze

Was wide with uncertainty

Behind the polished rims of his glasses.

•

"Yao is away, brother-in-law",

He explained.

"I imagine he is in Beijing,

Tending to the coronation of his

Child emperor,

Which shall take place soon.

The gazette has spoken of it frequently,

So how is it

Do you not remember?"

•

Mother, and his

Shivering, pallid face,

Looked to uncle.

Looked to my brother.

Looked to my sister.

•

Looked to me.

•

And cried.

"_You do not understand!_

_Nobody understands!_

Please,

Leave me be for the rest of the day."

•

And so we did.

•

But later that night,

As we were

Arguing

About who would bring mother dinner,

He limped into the kitchen

Out of his own accord

And retrieved a serum of medicine.

* * *

**As I think that it's only fair that I slip in a tiny clue for the meaning behind this one this time...**

**耀 = Yào = Yao**

**药 ****= Yào = Medicine**

******There's a second hidden meaning behind this too, I realized after re-reading my poem, but I'll leave that last one to your imagination, otay~?**

******-Plumeria-hi, who is too exhausted from school assignments to bother trying to be witty tonight**


	9. Knight in Red

_**Knight in Red**_

_In which Kiku procrastinates for another day._

I'm hopelessly in love with thee

The kind and gentle soul of you

Oh Knight in Red that's sent to me.

•

He's smiling as I look to see

A man of soul and pure virtue.

I'm hopelessly in love with thee.

•

But as he comes, the scene I flee,

I love you but I'm frightened too,

Oh Knight in Red that's sent to me.

•

I hear your footsteps follow me,

You screaming to the sky so blue:

"I'm hopelessly in love with thee!"

•

Your words send my heart soaring free

But I don't dare to drop a clue

Oh Knight in Red that's sent to me.

•

But I will try again, you'll see!

Perhaps in just a day or two.

I'm hopelessly in love with thee

Oh Knight in Red that's sent to me.

* * *

**BOOMBADAH...! Didn't expect me to show up late by a day and still have the nerve to act all holistic-like, LIKE!**

**... Uh, ****_yeah_****.**

**Aaanyways, forgive and forget, 's what I always say! (No I don't, but let's pretend I've never posted this line in the first place. That's why this is, like, caged up in a parenthesis and ish). The reason I was late the other week ****was... Well - because school was in cahoots with the entity of fate and being a downright arse... AND**** was because I was attempting a new form of poetry, yay! Ergo, the sort I've just posted today! By some mere coincidence, it was also the same one my friend and I had attempted to work on together a long time ago, which - I shan't lie - made me very happy, to be writing something that means so significantly to our past.**

**This new form of poetry is an Italian one called the 'villanelle', and it's a super fun combo of rhyming verses, with the structure as follows:**

**Phrase A**

**Phrase B with rhyme b**

**Phrase C**

**•**

**Phrase X with rhyme A and C**

**Phrase X with rhyme b**

**Phrase A**

**•**

**Phrase X with rhyme A and C**

**Phrase X with rhyme b**

**Phrase C**

**•**

**Repeat verses 2 and 3 until you get 6 of them in total! This has been a lot of fun, so I'm definitely going to try something like this again someday. While on a side note...**

**Plumeria, Plumeria, Plumeria; you prattling on with your fancy 'shan't's and Knightly chatter, when I honestly suspect that Kiku's always doing this procrastinating thing on a daily basis.**

**-Plumeria-hi, whom you shan't blame for adopting soppy head cannons**


	10. Porcelain Masquerade

**_Porcelain Masquerade_**

_If love was a pandemic, we'd all be dead_.

Like a porcelain shard,

You pierced your way into my heart

And made me your own.

•

I am china,

Stranded

In a Porcelain Masquerade.

Milky-white mirages, embellished

With midnight's contours,

Spinning, spinning, spinning around me.

I am an alien,

Lost

In the dancing of the twilight.

•

_Until my eyes meet yours._

•

You are indifferent.

Milky-white.

Midnight contours.

A spinning porcelain doll on the ceramic tiles.

•

But you have that shine to you,

That which lacquered your fine details

And unraveled a Ladder of Stars.

•

That which enticed me,

Pulling us together

Like magnets; like the bird to the bee.

•

_Like the matching pieces of a porcelain cup_.

You are china too.

•

_And you will be mine_.

•

Chink!

•

You spun on your heels, to

Vanish into the throng of dancers.

The race had officially begun.

•

Chink!

Tink!

Thunk!

_ •_

Where are you now?

You're a spinning mirage.

Milky-white confusion.

Midnight contours,

Spinning, _spinning_, _SPINNING_.

You're here one moment

And gone the next.

•

I only had the Ladder of Stars

To guide me to your mask.

•

_Chink!_

_Tink!_

_Thunk!_

_ •_

I've shattered a hundred masks;

Exposed a million

Porcelain faces,

But you are not behind any mask.

And not a single

Porcelain face

Bears the fine features you bear.

•

_CHINK!_

_TINK!_

_THUNK!_

_• _

The last mask is shattered.

The last face chipped and destroyed

Under the merciless whip

Of the Ladder of Stars.

•

And there you are,

At the centre of the ceramic tiles.

•

And I smile,

And said:

•

"I've been looking all over for you."

•

And you smiled tenderly

And uttered the words

To pierce your way into my heart,

And make me yours.

•

"How are you so sure?"

•

And you ripped off your mask,

To disperse

Atop the ceramic tiles

Of the Porcelain Masquerade.

•

The Kiku I needed

Had shattered

A long time ago

Under the merciless whip of the Ladder of Stars.

* * *

**Socialites and fellow reality vagabonds alike, this is _exactly _what happens when a fan fiction writer has too much time to spend doing nothing in a school athletics' carnival.**

**-Plumeria-hi**


	11. Sodium chloride

**WARNING: First T-rated poem in, like, FOREVER!... So please don't hesitate to take cover if you wish to do so. The table is right around the corner.**

* * *

**_Sodium Chloride_**

_Chemistry is important, kids. Learn it 'till you earn it._

_Nothing coming out of his lips_

_Makes sense to me at all._

_ •_

_I love him_

_In every way possible._

_I love his eyes._

_His smile._

_His grace._

_(His thighs)._

_His voice which makes me go fluttery inside._

_ •_

_But I hate, more than anything_

_When his voice which makes me go fluttery inside_

_Starts spluttering incomprehensibility._

_ •_

_Chemistry._

•

And God bless

How he's good at it.

•

I crumple atop the desk with a groan.

He eyes me,

Frowning.

•

"Does any of this",

he gestures to the textbook between us.

"make any sense to you?"

•

I shake my head miserably.

•

"Might as well call it a fail",

I sighed.

•

"No."

•

He's moved beside me now,

With that damned textbook

Clasped

In a dainty hand.

•

"I'm helping you ace that test

And I'm not stopping

Until we get there."

He's dead serious.

•

I shrug plainly.

•

"If you see fit to do so,

Then I'm not stopping you."

•

He nods

And starts to speak again.

•

"Regarding ionic bonding."

•

I perked up at his last word.

•

"It occurs when polar opposites,

A positive and negative ion;

A cation and an anion,

Merges together to form anew."

•

"And how is this…

_Bonding_, acquired?"

I murmur.

•

"Funny you should ask",

His eyes dimmed in amusement,

"It starts because

The polar opposites both need.

•

"Take, for instance,

Sodium chloride.

Sodium is aching to give."

•

"And chlorine?"

•

"Would like to receive",

He quipped.

"They need each other,

And so,

Sodium gives to chloride,

Attracting chloride to form…"

•

"Sodium chloride",

I gasp,

Then grin as I say:

"a compound.

An ionic bond."

•

"Clever boy",

He beams.

•

I nod slowly,

Absorbing this lesson

The only way I knew how.

•

"… Mind if I repeat it to you,

Kiku?"

•

He shakes his head.

The lustrous black locks

That which adorns his crown

Falls neatly to cup his face.

•

"So the sodium and chloride,

They need each other,

Don't they?"

•

"They do."

•

"For the sodium

Aches to give,

And the chloride

Yearns to receive."

•

"I couldn't have put it better myself."

•

"They meet and

They realize

They need each other.

So they attract.

•

"And form sodium chloride.

Ionic bonding.

•

"_Chemistry_",

I smile.

•

He clasps his hands together in mirth.

•

"You are ready",

He declares.

•

"Oh,

And Kiku?"

•

"Yes, Yao?"

•

"There's just one more thing."

•

Before he can protest,

I run a hand

Over his thighs.

•

"Why don't we make sodium chloride tonight?"

* * *

**... What? Don't laugh at me; I survived my first chemistry class of the year with this poem!**

**On a side note, here in formal Indonesian, 'compound' can be translated as 'senyawa', which, aside from meaning 'compound', can also be tossed back into English as 'one soul'... Or, at least something along that line. It's a pretty messy translation, since in the Indonesian language, 'se-' before a noun denotes that it is shared by multiple subjects; for instance, 'saya kini setingkat dengan sepupuku' means 'I am now at the same level as my cousin' (wouldn't imagine how anyone would be using that example in everyday conversation though). That means if I'm ever fortunate enough to have Yao and Kiku say "kita senyawa", it would mean something like "we are of one soul", heehee~! ... _Aaanyways_, me knowing that sort of made the whole 'sodium chloride' theme much more fun to work with.  
**

**-Plumeria-hi**


	12. Maiden Blue (Knight in Red sequel)

**Another villanelle with my own little gist (which can be found at the end of the poem *down there; down there*)! This one's a sequel to 'Knight in Red'. Why? Because I can!... _And _because I can't find any inspiration for a villanelle other than this at the moment.**

* * *

**_Maiden Blue_**

_Pray tell; what _is _a man in love to do?_

My long-coveted Maiden Blue

I wonder how you cannot see

My heart lusts for no one but you.

•

For knighthood be my sole virtue

I was dispatched to protect thee

My long-coveted Maiden Blue.

•

My eyes meet yours that's soft as dew.

I realized with mirthful glee

My heart lusts for no one but you.

•

But then you leave my soul to rue,

For as I start you turn to flee

My long-coveted Maiden Blue.

•

What is a man in love to do?

Pray tell, are you afraid of me?

My heart lusts for no one but you.

•

Though love may be a tough venue

It'll never bring me to my knees.

My long-coveted Maiden Blue,

My heart lusts for no one but you.

•

_So let this futile race ensue_.

* * *

**On a side note, if I had a thousand rupiah for each time my brain successfully convinced me it was Friday this week... Well, then I'd probably be the first rupiah-millionaire with only thousand-rupiah notes in my pile o' cash.** **But the ones that come in coins would be pretty awesome too, since they'd probably fit my purse better anyway...**

**Aaand there you have it; my author-note-creating days have officially came to a sardonic end.**

**- Plumeria-hi**

**p.s. on yet another side note, long story short: was watching this really old film from my childhood, and realized for the first time since 2008 that an artist (also from my childhood, whose name I only accidentally uncovered this year) made a track out of it. Scoured the Internet for an hour looking for said track... And BAM. One of the best (and probably accidental) Yao cosplay I've ever seen... Well- the first Yao cosplay I've ever seen, actually, but I invite you to check that album cover out for yourself if you're looking to be blown off your chair tonight. _If _you can guess which movie it's from, that is.**


	13. Like a Moth to the Flame

**_Like a Moth to the Flame_**

_If moths ever loved, they'd only love for a night._

You'd never let a life to waste.

Be it a man,

Nor a child.

•

Nor the moths which frolic the night

And every one of our lights.

•

"Leave them be, Kiku.

I need my sleep, just as much as

You

Need yours", I grumbled.

•

You shook your head,

And brushed another moth from our lantern.

"You know; I'm not stopping you from sleeping without me."

"You're not. I just can't sleep without you."

"That's not my problem."

"No, it's the moths'."

"That's not their problem either."

•

I groaned for

The umpteenth time that night

And the millionth time in forever.

•

"What do you

See

In them that's worth saving, Kiku?"

•

You started,

Seeming as if you

Didn't know the answer either.

•

"They…

Deserve a chance,

I suppose."

•

"And that's because…?"

•

"They just do, Yao."

•

"They're ugly and useless."

•

"But they are spectacular

In the light of our lantern."

•

"They'll burn in the light of our lantern as well."

•

"Which is why we can't let them

Approach the flames unguarded",

You insist,

Ushering another away.

•

I barely dodged it

As if wafted

Lazily

Past my nose.

•

"But what if they want to burn anyway?"

I frowned.

You looked to me as if I was

A lunatic.

Or,

At least a man with no hope.

•

"That's silly, Yao.

They wouldn't approach our lantern

If they did not

Want to be beautiful in our eyes,

Or grow –"

•

"_That's just it!_"

I snapped,

"Kiku, cease the lunacy!

Moths don't approach to be beautiful,

Much less grow!

•

"Kiku…

Do you know why they approach our lantern?"

•

You answered with silence,

Your face

A mask of innocent distress,

If only the lantern would shine on you

And not the moth which was approaching.

•

"Moths live only for one night.

They choose our

Lantern

Because it is the best place

For a spectacular death;

For in the kingdom of the moths,

Death by flame

Is the most honourable death of all.

•

"Kiku, can you not see!

Moths don't live for beauty

Nor for growth.

•

"_Moths live to_ _DIE!_"

•

The moth approaching our lantern, wafts

Lifelessly

To the floor

In cinders and ashes.

•

Years later,

The night you left my arms for good,

The moths littered my floorboards.

•

Cinders and ashes,

With no hope to go on.

* * *

**"You don't go thwacking the moths with your sandals, Ellen. You feel sorry and pray for them, because they only get the chance to celebrate as grown-ups for a night before they die." When my parents had first told me this as a little girl, I was immediately mesmerized by the swarm of gossamer wings which frolicked the streetlamp outside of my bedroom window. It'd never occurred to me how poetic such little things could be; how such trivial insects could symbolize such a profound lesson in life.**

**Nonetheless, the moth, hand-in-hand with the butterfly, would later go on to become one of the national symbols of the kingdom of Plumeria._  
_**

**I also learned a couple of years then that the 'laron' my parents had been referring to was not the cute little fuzzy's on wings which had translated to 'moths', but the termites on wings which, at one point, had threatened to eat the furniture of the house and was constantly falling on my head whenever I least expected them to. I'd felt cheated then; all the rainy seasons I could have spent thwacking them in had gone to waste!**

**Oh well; another national symbol for me. **

**-Plumeria-hi**


	14. Monochromatic Amalgamation

**A while back, an unnamed someone had proposed the idea of a "writer's insert". I thought this was a great idea, so I decided to fetch the nearest poet I know...**

* * *

**_Monochromatic Amalgamation_**

_Written by Pochi_

_Translated from Dog by Plumeria-hi_

I was curled on the ash cushions

When the

New Master

Arrived home.

Stylish as ever

In a dark-grey _chen shan_.

The scent of snow lingers around his presence…

He's returned from a meeting in Russia.

•

"I'm home!"

He calls into the house,

Giving me a brief pat before going on his way.

•

I decide to follow him.

•

The chrome _tatami_ feels soft as I pad

To the back-porch

Where Master is awaiting under the map of stars.

He grins as he sees me,

And motions for me to climb into his lap.

I walk away.

•

My master has other company in mind.

His light-grey robes

Is fragranced in something sweet.

•

My hunch tells me it is love.

•

The New Master is swathed in the same aroma.

•

The New Master arrives

And envelops Master into his arms.

•

They will stay that way for the rest of the night.

Dark-grey

And light-grey, amalgamated

In perfect harmony.

•

It smells beautiful.

* * *

**Next time, I might even make Mr. Kappa, Mr. Dragon and Shinatty-_san _do one. And of course, I can't forget Tama, and Panda, and...**

**I think I got the idea of a "writer's insert" all wrong.**

**-Plumeria-hi **


End file.
